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New Native collector in central PA


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#1 truecrimson

truecrimson
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  • Leb-A-non, PA

Posted 26 January 2017 - 07:08 PM

Hello.

I signed up for the forum in 2011 as I was hoping to get into native collecting, but it didn't pan out. I have been reading the forum off and on over the years.

This is my year to finally get a tank, so hopefully I will be more active.

Back in high school some (ahem) decades ago (mid to late 1980s) and a considerable distance southwest, I kept tropicals and one LMB I rescued from school. I raised Sword Tails for a bit. Then as I got older I got away from it.

Around 2006 I got back into fishing and that rekindled my love water and things that swim in it.

Now (well, for years actually) instead of tropicals I find myself interested in locals. My dream tank would be a 100+ gallon stream tank (hence why I am now a total fan boy of Josh and Chasmodes). However time, energy, money, and space preclude that at the moment.

This morning on the way home from work I picked up a 40 gallon former turtle aquarium for $25 on Craigslist, so that will be my starting point for a native warm water lake tank probably focused on sunfish.

I'll try not to ask too many stupid questions. Please bear with me if I do.

#2 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
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  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 26 January 2017 - 08:08 PM

Good luck with the 40!!!! Keeping native can be very rewarding. I truly enjoy the time outdoors getting my feet wet looking for fish. I also have kept lots of tropicals, then salt water, finally to be bitten by the reef tank bug. I still was drawn to natives to the point I sold off a fully stocked reef tank to build a 125 gallon creek tank. When you get your 40 set up post lots of pictures!!!!
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#3 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 26 January 2017 - 08:32 PM

Don't worry about questions, we've heard them all!  Bring it on.

 

Is that 40 one that is 36 wide by 18 inches front to back?  I like that foot print.  If you must sunfish, that will be a good tank for one.  But look around a bit before you decide... I think you could have a really nice shiner tank in that size.


Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#4 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 26 January 2017 - 10:41 PM

Are you going to ask how many largemouth bass you can keep in that 40? As long as that was not on your list, I think you will be just fine. :)


The member formerly known as Skipjack


#5 truecrimson

truecrimson
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  • Leb-A-non, PA

Posted 27 January 2017 - 01:49 AM

Don't worry about questions, we've heard them all!  Bring it on.
 
Is that 40 one that is 36 wide by 18 inches front to back?  I like that foot print.  If you must sunfish, that will be a good tank for one.  But look around a bit before you decide... I think you could have a really nice shiner tank in that size.

It's more like 25x18 and 24 inches deep.

Internal measurements were 24.25x17.25x23.25

I have been looking at a lot of pictures and videos andthey do look good. I might have to give shiners a try.

Edited by truecrimson, 27 January 2017 - 01:49 AM.


#6 truecrimson

truecrimson
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  • Leb-A-non, PA

Posted 27 January 2017 - 01:52 AM

Are you going to ask how many largemouth bass you can keep in that 40? As long as that was not on your list, I think you will be just fine. :)


Well I was thinking not more than 20 for sure. Maybe I'll make it an Esox Lucius tank instead ;)

#7 truecrimson

truecrimson
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  • Leb-A-non, PA

Posted 27 January 2017 - 01:58 AM

Good luck with the 40!!!! Keeping native can be very rewarding. I truly enjoy the time outdoors getting my feet wet looking for fish. I also have kept lots of tropicals, then salt water, finally to be bitten by the reef tank bug. I still was drawn to natives to the point I sold off a fully stocked reef tank to build a 125 gallon creek tank. When you get your 40 set up post lots of pictures!!!!


Thank you. I'll start a thread on it sometime soon. I still have a lot to do and a lot to learn.

#8 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 27 January 2017 - 07:04 AM

Welcome! Would love to see what your 40 turns into, as Clinton and Tioga Counties are a part of my heritage. A little more central and Northern Tier-ish than Lebanon, perhaps, but still glad for another Keystone Connection! :)
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#9 littlen

littlen
  • NANFA Member
  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 27 January 2017 - 08:26 AM

I will second the notion that you can definitely do a little stream tank in a 40.  Shiners and darters will give you a lot of movement.  Or, if you search "Sandwich" (Michael's pet Warmouth) you'll see that a single sunfish can be just as entertaining.  So it is whatever floats your boat. 

 

Either way you go, you have a lot of good resources at your fingertips on this forum with a lot of us having kept most species in a tank at one time or another.

Good luck.

P.S. there are some really good, active threads on designing custom rock work from sculpted foam and whatnot ---if that is of any interest to you.

P.S.S. out of curiosity, do people commonly say, "Leb-EH-non"?


Nick L.

#10 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 28 January 2017 - 11:34 AM

Welcome to the world of native fishkeeping for sure.  Thanks for the compliment, but the real stars on this forum are the guys that have posted above and along with some others here that have yet to chime in that have a wealth of knowledge.  Although I've kept natives in the past, I've been studying the methods of members on this forum that have provided solid advice to me.  

 

Good luck in your efforts.  I look forward to see the progress with your stream tank!


Kevin Wilson


#11 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 28 January 2017 - 02:51 PM

Sunfish and predatory fish seem to be very common starter fish for people who enter into the hobby with an angling background. Then they start seeing how awesome so many of our fish really are, they love their sunfish tank, but need to keep some darters. Two tanks now. Then since darters don't compete for food as well as scarlet shiners.....three tanks, rinse repeat.( you absolutely can keep darters with shiners if you cater to their feeding habits, I was just using that as an example)

 

  I think you will really enjoy all of the options, and I guarantee that one sunfish tank just wont be enough. You will most definitely find that you need a mixed community tank. That is only part of the fun that this 40 gallon tank can lead you to. There is seining, snorkeling, microfishing and life listing, and the big one everyone loves, honing your fish identification skills.

 

 The friends and contacts you make, may be the very best part, and thankfully we have an organization to bring us all together.


The member formerly known as Skipjack


#12 truecrimson

truecrimson
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  • Leb-A-non, PA

Posted 01 February 2017 - 07:22 PM

Welcome! Would love to see what your 40 turns into, as Clinton and Tioga Counties are a part of my heritage. A little more central and Northern Tier-ish than Lebanon, perhaps, but still glad for another Keystone Connection! :)

 

Cool, thanks.  I have been hoping to get up that way to do some fishing, but haven't made it so far.  I know how you feel though.  I am originally from San Antonio, Texas and always like to find Texas connections.

 

I will second the notion that you can definitely do a little stream tank in a 40.  Shiners and darters will give you a lot of movement.  Or, if you search "Sandwich" (Michael's pet Warmouth) you'll see that a single sunfish can be just as entertaining.  So it is whatever floats your boat. 

 

Either way you go, you have a lot of good resources at your fingertips on this forum with a lot of us having kept most species in a tank at one time or another.

Good luck.

P.S. there are some really good, active threads on designing custom rock work from sculpted foam and whatnot ---if that is of any interest to you.

P.S.S. out of curiosity, do people commonly say, "Leb-EH-non"?

 

Thank you.  This 40 isn't very long compared to width.  I'm not sure there is enough distance for a stream flow.  I'll try to get some pics of the aquarium posted soon.  I haven't had time to do anything with it yet so it is still exactly as I got it.  Even still has the 3D background the previous owner had for the turtle.

 

I've been following Chasmodes thread on the work he has been doing.  It looks awesome.  But I live in a compartment, er, apartment, and don't really have the space or resources to do that kind of work.

 

I love the Sandwich videos.  They make me want sunfish even more.  Clearly I am going to need more aquariums........

 

Around here they say "Leb'nin" and "Lanc'ster".  Not being from here originally, I pronounce the middle syllable.  It's a point of some friendly ribbing with co workers and in laws.

 

Welcome to the world of native fishkeeping for sure.  Thanks for the compliment, but the real stars on this forum are the guys that have posted above and along with some others here that have yet to chime in that have a wealth of knowledge.  Although I've kept natives in the past, I've been studying the methods of members on this forum that have provided solid advice to me.  

 

Good luck in your efforts.  I look forward to see the progress with your stream tank!

 

I am becoming fans of more and more people here.  But I do think what you are doing is amazing.

 

Sunfish and predatory fish seem to be very common starter fish for people who enter into the hobby with an angling background. Then they start seeing how awesome so many of our fish really are, they love their sunfish tank, but need to keep some darters. Two tanks now. Then since darters don't compete for food as well as scarlet shiners.....three tanks, rinse repeat.( you absolutely can keep darters with shiners if you cater to their feeding habits, I was just using that as an example)

 

  I think you will really enjoy all of the options, and I guarantee that one sunfish tank just wont be enough. You will most definitely find that you need a mixed community tank. That is only part of the fun that this 40 gallon tank can lead you to. There is seining, snorkeling, microfishing and life listing, and the big one everyone loves, honing your fish identification skills.

 

 The friends and contacts you make, may be the very best part, and thankfully we have an organization to bring us all together.

 

Yeah, I am seeing the mission creep already.  :biggrin:   I need a tropical tank to appease the wife.  And I clearly need a native community tank.  I estimate, depending on stands and rearranging furniture, I can squeeze in 4 or 5.

 

I think the draw to predatory fish is because those are the ones we are already familiar with and they are the ones that get the angler interested in fish keeping.  There is a point where we are spending more time watching fish than catching fish.  The specific draw of sunfish for anglers is that we are very familiar with them and many of us already really like them.  As opposed to, say, a mad tom, which I have never actually seen in the wild.  As game fish I think sunfish have more personality and are more fun than most other game fish.  When you're fishing for sunfish (assuming catch and release) it is almost like playing with cats.  They give you the impression that they are enjoying the game as much as you are.  Then you find yourself just tossing worms out there to watch them go get it.  Then you end up just wanting to take them home and watch them eat stuff.


Edited by truecrimson, 01 February 2017 - 07:24 PM.




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